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Jean MilletFrench artist and graphic artist
Date of Birth: 04.10.1814
Country:  France |
Content:
Biography of Jean Millet
Jean Millet was a French artist and graphic designer born on October 4, 1814, in the town of Gruchy near Gréville in Normandy. He initially studied under several local artists in Cherbourg and later moved to Paris in 1837 to study under the painter Paul Delaroche at the Academy of Fine Arts.
Early Career and Change of Themes
In the 1840s, Millet's choice of subjects in his paintings was influenced by the tastes of the time. He depicted scenes such as Sacrifice to Pan, Daphnis and Chloe, Erotic Romance, as well as numerous studies of nude figures, like Bathers or Sleeping Woman. However, in 1848, he turned away from such themes and dedicated himself entirely to realistic portrayals of peasant life.
Move to Barbizon
In the same year, Millet left Paris and settled in Barbizon, on the outskirts of the Fontainebleau Forest, where he lived and worked until his death on January 20, 1875. Some of his most typical works from this period include The Sower (1850), The Gleaners (1857), and The Angelus (1859).
Artistic Style and Themes
Millet's painting Man with a Hoe (1863) exemplifies the heights of his realism. The piece depicts an exhausted peasant, showcasing the physical toll of their labor. Millet did not seek to convey social protest through his art but instead emphasized his belief in the nobility of ordinary people and the dignity and value of their everyday physical work. His style is characterized by a sober realism, which emerged in the mid-19th century primarily within the works of artists from the Barbizon School.
